Pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement

Abstract

A semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement has a drug cabinet in which a control mechanism permits opening of the front door for an authorized attendant and permits the attendant to obtain the pre-filled bottles or containers of medication for a patient's prescription order. An array of linear dispensing modules each hold a front-to-back row of filled containers, which can be manually lifted out one at a time. A pusher mechanism in the module pushes the containers forward, so that containers are pushed into position for removal. These may be spring actuated. Each of the modules also has an associated signaling device, such as an LED that lights up to guide the attendant to the appropriate dispensing module. A controller processor, e.g., a computer, is associated with the cabinet for inputting patient-medication information and lighting the signaling LEDs for the modules. When the correct medicine is taken from the cabinet, an audible sound is provided and when an incorrect container is taken out, a different audible signal is sounded. Restocking the modules is limited only to authorized pharmacy staff with the proper access codes.

I claim:  
     
       1. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement for providing a medical/pharmacy attendant with one or more filled containers to satisfy a prescription order for a patient, comprising: 
       a cabinet having a housing, a front door, and a control mechanism opening the front door for an authorized attendant;  
       an array of linear dispensing modules within the cabinet, each module containing a front-to-back row of containers filled with a particular respective medicament; each module including means at a front end thereof to permit containers to be manually lifted out by the attendant from the front end of the respective row one at a time, means for pushing the containers forward so that when one container is lifted out another container behind it is pushed into position for removal, and means for accounting for the number of containers in the respective module;  
       each of the modules having an associated signalling means that identifies affirmatively to the attendant the module from which a container is to be taken to satisfy the patient prescription order; and  
       a controller processor including means for inputting patient-medication information and providing a signal to the signalling means of the appropriate one of the modules in the cabinet containing the medicament prescribed for the patient.  
     
     
       2. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement according to claim  1  wherein said array includes at least forty of said linear dispensing modules. 
     
     
       3. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement for providing a medical/pharmacy attendant with one or more filled containers to satisty a prescription order for a patient, comprising: 
       a cabinet having a housing, a front door, and a control mechanism opening the front door for an authorized attendant;  
       an array of linear dispensing modules within the cabinet, each module containing a front-to-back row of containers filled with a particular respective medicament; each module including means at a front end thereof to permit containers to be manually lifted out by the attendant one at a time, means for pushing the containers forward so that when one container is lifted out another container behind it is pushed into position for removal, and means for accounting for the number of containers in the respective module;  
       each of the modules having an associated signalling means that identifies to the attendant the module from which a container is to be taken to satisfy the patient prescription order; and  
       a controller processor including means for inputting patient-medication information and providing a signal to the signalling means of the appropriate one of the modules in the cabinet containing the medicament prescribed for the patient; and  
       wherein each said linear dispensing module includes a sensor to detect when a container has been removed therefrom; and said controller processor includes means responsive to said detector to generate a first indication to the attendant when the attendant has removed the container from the module containing the prescribed medicament for the patient; and generating a second indication to the attendant when the attendant has incorrectly removed a container from another such module.  
     
     
       4. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement according to claim  3  wherein said first indication is an audible sound and said second indication is another audible sound distinct from the first-mentioned audible sound. 
     
     
       5. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement for providing a medical/pharmacy attendant with one or more filled containers to satisfy a prescription order for a patient, comprising: 
       a cabinet having a housing, a front door, and a control mechanism opening the front door for an authorized attendant;  
       an array of linear dispensing modules within the cabinet, each module containing a front-to-back row of containers filled with a particular respective medicament; each module including means at a front end thereof to permit containers to be manually lifted out by the attendant one at a time, means for pushing the containers forward so that when one container is lifted out another container behind it is pushed into position for removal, and means for accounting for the number of containers in the respective module;  
       each of the modules having an associated signalling means that identifies to the attendant the module from which a container is to be taken to satisfy the patient prescription order;  
       a controller processor including means for inputting patient-medication information and providing a signal to the signalling means of the appropriate one of the modules in the cabinet containing the medicament prescribed for the patient; and  
       a return cabinet into which the attendant inserts any medicament containers removed in error from the modules in the cabinet.  
     
     
       6. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement according to claim  5  wherein said return cabinet has a return bin which permits insertion of containers into the return cabinet but does not permit removal of the containers therefrom, and a locked door for permitting only authorized pharmacy personnel to remove containers from the return cabinet. 
     
     
       7. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement for providing a medical/pharmacy attendant with one or more filled containers to satisfy a prescription order for a patient, comprising: 
       a cabinet having a housing, a front door, and a control mechanism opening the front door for an authorized attendant;  
       an array of linear dispensing modules within the cabinet, each module containing a front-to-back row of containers filled with a particular respective medicament; each module including means at a front end thereof to permit containers to be manually lifted out by the attendant one at a time, means for pushing the containers forward so that when one container is lifted out another container behind it is pushed into position for removal, and means for accounting for the number of containers in the respective module;  
       each of the modules having an associated signalling means that identifies to the attendant the module from which a container is to be taken to satisfy the patient prescription order; and  
       a controller processor including means for inputting patient-medication information and providing a signal to the signalling means of the appropriate one of the modules in the cabinet containing the medicament prescribed for the patient;  
       wherein each said module includes guide means for holding said containers in a row and guiding them as they are pushed from back to front; a pusher mechanism biasing against a final one of said containers to push it forward; and a sensor device to track the position of the final one of said containers in the respective row.  
     
     
       8. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement according to claims  7  wherein said sensor device includes a rotary sensor that rotates as said pusher mechanism moves forward. 
     
     
       9. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement according to claim  8  wherein said rotary sensor includes a potentiometer. 
     
     
       10. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement according to claim  8  wherein rotary sensor includes an encoder wheel. 
     
     
       11. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement according to claim  7  wherein said sensor device includes a locator bar disposed proximally-distally on said mechanism and having teeth with a pitch corresponding to the thickness of the containers, and a sensor on said pusher mechanism that detects said teeth and spaces therebetween. 
     
     
       12. Semi-automated pharmaceutical dispensing arrangement for providing a medical/pharmacy attendant with one or more filled containers to satisfy a prescription order for a patient, comprising: 
       a cabinet having a housing, a front door, and a control mechanism opening the front door for an authorized attendant;  
       an array of linear dispensing modules within the cabinet, each module containing a front-to-back row of containers filled with a particular respective medicament; each module including means at a front end thereof to permit containers to be manually lifted out by the attendant one at a time, means for pushing the containers forward so that when one container is lifted out another container behind it is pushed into position for removal, and means for accounting for the number of containers in the respective module;  
       each of the modules having an associated signalling means that identifies to the attendant the module from which a container is to be taken to satisfy the patient prescription order; and  
       a controller processor including means for inputting patient-medication information and providing a signal to the signalling means of the appropriate one of the modules in the cabinet containing the medicament prescribed for the patient wherein said sensor device includes a row of reflectors positioned on the dispensing mechanism at positions corresponding to positions of said containers, and a photodetector positioned on said pusher mechanism and oriented to have a field of view that travels along said row of reflectors as the pusher mechanism moves forward.  
     
     
       13. Method of semi-automatically dispensing prescribed medication from a container dispensing cabinet to fill a prescription order for a patient, comprising; 
       inputting into a controller-processor device patient-prescription information for said patient; said controller-processor device being operationally associated with said container dispensing cabinet, the latter having therewithin an array of linear dispensing modules, each module containing a front-to-back row of containers filled with a particular respective medicament; each module including means at a front end thereof to permit containers to be lifted out thereof one at a time, means for pushing the row of containers forward so that when one such container is lifted out another container therebehind is pushed into position for removal, and means for accounting for the number of containers remaining within the respective module; each of the modules having an associated signalling means that identifies to an attendant the module from which a container is to be taken to satisfy the patient's prescription; and  
       lifting up and out a container from a front end of the respective row of each module for which said signalling means identifies that a container is to be taken.  
     
     
       14. The method of claim  13 , further comprising scanning the container lifted out from the module with a bar code scanner to verify the container against the patient's prescription order. 
     
     
       15. A method of semi-automatically dispensing prescribed medication from a container dispensing cabinet to fill a prescription order for a patient, comprising: 
       inputting into a controller-processor device patient-prescription information for said patient; said controller-processor device being operationally associated with said container dispensing cabinet, the latter having therewithin an array of linear dispensing modules, each module containing a front-to-back row of containers filled with a particular respective medicament; each module including means at a front end thereof to permit containers to be lifted out thereof one at a time, means for pushing the row of containers forward so that when one such container is lifted out another container therebehind is pushed into position for removal, and means for accounting for the number of containers remaining within the respective module; each of the modules having an associated signalling means that identifies to an attendant the module from which a container is to be taken to satisfy the patient's prescription;  
       lifting out a container from each module for which said signalling means identifies that a container is to be taken; wherein a printer associated with said controller processor device prints a label containing patient prescription information when a container is lifted out from the indicated module; and  
       applying said label to said container.  
     
     
       16. A method of semi-automatically dispensing prescribed medication from a container dispensing cabinet to fill a prescription order for a patient, comprising: 
       inputting into a controller-processor device patient-prescription information for said patient; said controller-processor device being operationally associated with said container dispensing cabinet, the latter having therewithin an array of linear dispensing modules, each module containing a front-to-back row of containers filled with a particular respective medicament; each module including means at a front end thereof to permit containers to be lifted out thereof one at a time, means for pushing the row of containers forward so that when one such container is lifted out another container therebehind is pushed into position for removal, and means for accounting for the number of containers remaining within the respective module; each of the modules having an associated signalling means that identifies to an attendant the module from which a container is to be taken to satisfy the patient's prescription;  
       lifting out a container from each module for which said signalling means identifies that a container is to be taken; and  
       returning any containers lifted out by mistake from any of said modules into a return cabinet.